The macroscopical characters of the roots, physical constant values, extractive values, colour, consistency and extractive values with different solvents, behaviour on treatment with different chemical reagents, fluorescence characters of liquid extracts and root powder after treatment with different chemical reagents under ultraviolet light of the powdered roots of Tragia involucrata Linn. (Fam Euphorbiaceae) were studied to fix some pharmacognostical parameters which will enable the future investigators for indentification of the plant. Preliminary phytochemical study on different extracts of the roots were also preformed.

The ethanolic extracts of aerial shoots of Mollugo cerviana and its leaf derived callus were tested for antimicrobial activity using the filter paper disk assay method. Both the extracts showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia Coli. The antifungal activity of the extracts against Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus was nil or negligible.

Phytochemical screening and physico chemical standards of acetone, chloroform and alcoholic extracts of Ampelocissus latifolia have been performed. These extracts were found to be safe upto a maximum dose of 500 mg/kg. They exhibit significant anti-inflammatory activity that may be due to its inhibitory effect of histamine kinin and prostaglandins release.

Toddalia asiatica var. gracilis (L) Lam is a commonly used medicinal plant in Indian system of Medicine. A detailed pharmacognostic study on the aerial parts of the medicinal plant is presented. Physico-chemical microscopical and fluorescent characteristics have been described. Qualitative phytochemical tests have also been carried out and the results presented.

The indigenous medical practices and the herbal system have an important role in the development of modern medicines. The medicinal plants used in this system are locally available, relatively cheap and also safe and effective. This bioresources can be harnessed for the pharmacological investigation in the modern system of medicine.

Less - known medicinal uses of plants among the rural women of Shahjahanpur District, U.P.

p. 29

SC Sharma

During the present study a valuable phytotherepeutic information on the various ailments of women was collected from the district, Traditionally the rural women prefer plant medicines than the modern medicines for their diseases including abortion, menstrual trouble, conception disorders, sterility, delivery problems etc, prevailing among them, Eighteen medicinal plants have been reported after making interview of medicine of the villages. The plants are arranged in alphabetical order according to the botanical names followed by family, vernacular names and herbarium number.

Trianthema decandra Linn. (Fam ficoidaceae) Commonly known a "Vellai sharunai'on Tamil and Punaranavi in Sanskrit the roots are used in hepatitis, asthma and suppression of menses the genuine and tree commercial samples of the root of R. Decandra in have been compared pharmacognostically for the first time in the present investigation all the pharmacognostic findings reveal adulteration in the commercial samples.

Water extract of the leaves of Coleus aromaticus Benth. Was tested for its antiurolithiatic activity against calcium oxalate stones in male albino rats. Calcium oxalate stones were induced by feeding 3% w/w sodium oxalate along with normal feed. The water extract of coleus aromaticus (0.5 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg, once, orally for 30 days) was found to be effective in reducing deposition of calcium oxalate. Hence, it is suggested, coleus aromaticus leaves may be effective in the therapy of calcium oxalate stone formation in kidney and urinary tract.

Individuals at risk of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), its prevention and management by an indigenous compound

p. 48

GP Dubey, Aruna Agrawal, SP Dixit, SR Pathak

A variety of rist factors have been suspected for causing the coronary heart disease. 406 cases of both sex groups with age range of 35 to 55 years were selected from three distinct localities of varanasi city. Individuals who reported single or more risk factors of CHD were isolated from the population of the particular areas. After a detailed preliminary screening of the subjects various physical, physiological, psychological and biochemical measurements were carried out. Other basis of initial findings, the cases who sowed abnormal lipid profile with dominant psychological involvement were given the organic extract of Inula racemosa (Pushkarmool), commiphora mukul (Guggulu), centella asiatica (Mandukaparni) and Hypericum perforatum (Basant in prescribed doses continuously for 6 moths. Correction in the lipid profile including triglycerides, blood pressure and the psychological factors like anxiety and depression to a significant level following least drugs treatment indicated the cardioprotective and therapeutic effects of the present formulation.
Hence, by modifying the cora0nar risk factors, the incidence of CD can be minimized to a great extent as well as the test formulation may also be advocated in the prevention and management of CHD.

Shami (Prosopis Cinerarea (L) Druce) of family Mimosaceae is an indigenous plant which has been mentioned in Ayurveda with several clinical properties (1) . The plant finds use in one form of the other in various ayurvedic preparations and this has been made in necessary to review the various studies carried out in its chemistry as well as pharmacology.

The research stud was undertaken to find out socio-economic condition and nutritional status of child labourer in the slum of Rourkela city of Orissa state where form 200 samples were rabdomly chosen and information were collected through structured interview. Form the stud it has been observed that the socio economic conditions and their working conditions were very poor where the range of working hours varied from 6 ours to 17 hours per day ad maximum percentage of samples were used as economic supplementation b imposition of the family. It has also been found that their poor food patter had affected the nutritional status of 59.5 percent of samples.

Spermicidal activity in vitro of bark Extract of Azadirachta indica in rats

p. 77

Vinita Bhargava, AO Prakash

Ethanolic extract of bark of Azadirachta indica showed potent spermicidal activity when tested on rat spermatozoa in vitro. When the extract was applied in 1:1 and 1:2 ratio at tree different concentration using wet drop method, cent percent mortality of spermatozoa was observed within 10 seconds. 10% concentration of the extract was considered as an effective dose.

Antitumour activity of poochendurappattai in albino rats in albino rats

p. 82

Muzaffer Alam, S Joy, T Susan, P Brindha, A Saraswathy

The water extract of poochendurappattai was screened for antitumour activity at the doss of 5mg, 10mg, 20mg and 50 mg/kg body weight in rats against methylcholanthrene induced fibrosarcoma. There was 63% regression in the tumour weight at the doses of 10mg and 20 mg/kg body weight. This antitumour activity may be due to compounds like royaleanones since royaleanones are known to possess anticancer activity. Te phytochemical investigation of poochendurappattai revealed the presence of royaleanones.

T. asthmatica , which belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae is a small twining a plant with long fleshy roots. The plant shows broad activity against EA and DLA cells. The intraperitoneal injection of PE extract obtained from the powdered entire plant material to the tumor cell transplanted animals arrests the tumor growth and prevents the formation of the tumor. A significant increase in the life span of the drug treated tumor bearing mice were found.

The methanolic extract of the leaf-stalk of curcuma longa LINN, was tested for its minimum Inhibitor concentration (MIC) against Gram positive-staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, klebsiella pnemoniae, bacillus cereus, streptococcus pneumoniae, Lactobacillus arabinosus and gram negative E.coli, shigella dysenteriae, shigella sonnei, shigella boydii, salmonella typhimurium, proteus mirabilis, and Vibrio cholerae strains, further, the ones of inhibition produced by the crude extract against four selected bacterial strains were measured and compared with those produced by the standard antibiotic ciprofloxacin against the same bacterial strains.